There are three areas that need our continual focus for our individual lives and for our churches to be spiritually healthy. They are an upward or God-focus (Col. 2:9), an inward or personal-growth focus (I Pet. 2:2) and an outward or others-focus (Matt. 22:39). We have recently talked a lot about our upward God-focus. Today let’s talk about and look at the other two together. Growing and serving are essential ingredients if you desire to be spiritually healthy. What makes us think we are growing if we are not serving? Following Christ requires our commitment to God, others and the world around us.
Why are we placing them together? Because they are inseparable! You cannot grow without serving and you cannot serve without growing. Many have placed such a high premium on knowledge that it has come to mean the accumulation of information is equal to spiritual maturity, but it is not. When growing and serving are both fully engaged, each one of them leads to the other. Jesus said that if you love Him, you will obey His commandments not just know them. If information transfer has occurred without life transformation, something is terribly wrong with our discipleship. Is there a way to better hold one another accountable?
In the Multiplication Workshop, Dave DeVries refers to this as the obedience mechanism that is needed in all discipleship. It is true that understanding can bring about action, but sometimes understanding can only occur through action. There are three steps mentioned here, but steps two and three should take place simultaneously. Have you, without realizing it, built a culture in your church that is counterproductive to life transformation? New converts are told to wait until they are discipled before they can serve. The desire is to watch and observe them to make sure they are legit and only then can they ease slowly into servicing.
Once you have grown, and only then, can you help those who know what they are doing. The second two are inseparable and the point is to not put someone into a key leadership role too soon, but they need to be growing and serving, in some capacity, at the same time. The wrong system and process can promote passivity, lethargy and disobedience. When someone receives Christ as their Savior, we scoop them out of the world, surround them with other Christians and begin saturating them with everything they will ever need to know. That is good, but churches must create a strategy based more around missional activities.
John 17:15 says “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.” It is not either/or but both/and. What you teach a follower of Christ is of utmost importance and that is why, when they get started, you must help them reach out to others, begin serving, experiment with different ministries and discover their spiritual gifts. Spiritually healthy churches must be growing and serving as they remain dedicated to carrying out the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. A church is a group of baptized believers who have intentionally committed to die together so that others can find the Kingdom of God.
Assign a mentor (Barnabas) to every new convert who will walk alongside them and serve with them. Actually, every follower of Christ needs three people in their life for accountability and multiplication — a Paul (the one discipling you), a Timothy (the one you are discipling) and a Barnabas (the one who is your cheer-leader and encourager). Meet weekly to hold them accountable and help them overcome any challenges they might have in their new walk. Don’t be afraid to ask them what sinful habits they need help with. There are always three elements to your time together — Bible study, prayer and accountability.
These Life Transformation Groups (LTGs) can be triads or maybe four, and they should always be the same gender, male or female groups. Ask them to make a list of everyone in their circle of influence who does not know Christ. Who do they know that needs the transforming power of Jesus in their lives? Encourage them to share their testimony. They do not have to be trained to share their testimony, but you should train them in how to show someone how to be born again. When someone else receives Christ, repeat the process. These groups are to produce even greater growth alongside the worship gathering and small groups they attend.
These groups can meet weekly or every other week, but they need to be scheduled and fit the rhythm of the group. It is best to pick a day of the week and a time that works best for everyone and stick to it. Make them aware of what growth, ministry and service opportunities are available in your church. Churches have developed paths for those outside to come inside, but churches need to work much harder at developing paths for those inside to get outside. The reality is that it is very easy to become inwardly focused. This is the idea of not getting people far from God to the “church” but instead getting the church to the people who are far from God.
Many would be interested in discussing spiritual things over a cup of coffee long before hearing a message about it. The idea is to begin groups where people are welcome no matter what they believe and begin the journey of answering their questions around the Word of God. Neil Cole describes LTGs as, “a group of two or three who get together once a week for accountability and disciple-making. Using a simple system of accountability, with intrinsic motivation, disciple-making can be done by all who are in the church.” It is not complicated, but will require some planning and intentionality.
